{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O130100"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O130100/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CA5292/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2009CA5292/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2009CA5292","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009CA5291","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009CA5290","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009CA5289","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2009CA5288","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JU0121","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JW4364","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JW4404","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O130100/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O130100","accessionNumber":"A.25-1933","objectType":"Statuette","titles":[{"title":"Virgin and Child","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Walrus ivory, or morse, had been widely used in Northern Europe for the production of luxury items since at least the 9th century. \r\nThe present group and the figure of the Magus in the Dorset County Museum in Dorchester formed part of an Adoration of the Magi group, and Christ would thus have been blessing the approaching magi. It is likely that the magus was originally the second of the three kings. The ivories were probably attached to a separate background, possibly of a contrasting material such as gilt-copper, and the whole was possibly intended for a shrine or small reredos, but this must remain as speculation.\r\nA striking iconographic and stylistic parallel is provided by the limestone relief of the Virgin and Child in York Minster. Especially the unusual position of the Child - more a boy than a child -  with his knees across the Virgin's right wrist, his large right hand and with two elongated fingers raised ion blessing, is virtually identical, as the way the Virgin holds him under his body. It is likely that there was a model, which must have been especially venerated in England around the middle of the 12th century.","physicalDescription":"The Virgin wearing a low crown over a veil, with both hands holds the large crowned Christ Child on her lap, while seated on a throne with twisted columns and pine-cone terminals. In His left hand Christ holds a scroll, while His right hand is raised in blessing. An ivory figure of a Magus in the Dorset County Museum clearly belongs with this piece, being very close in size and style. The group is cracked and has flakled in many places, the most noticeable loss being the Virgin's right shoulder. The holes pierced in the eyes would probably have been filled with jet or glass beads, and the piece has been stained a grey-purple colour. The back is plain.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"carvers","id":"AAT25256"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ivory","id":"AAT11857"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Walrus tusk ivory.","categories":[{"text":"Christianity","id":"THES48978"},{"text":"Religion","id":"THES48900"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SCP","id":"THES48600"},"images":["2009CA5292","2009CA5291","2009CA5290","2009CA5289","2009CA5288","2017JU0121","2017JW4364","2017JW4404"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"8 (VA)","id":"THES49714"},"free":"","case":"CA4","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Statuette","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"},"note":"probably South Wales"}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1150","earliest":"1145-01-01","latest":"1154-12-31"},"association":{"text":"carving","id":"AAT53149"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased under the Beqquest of Francis Reubell Bryan","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"13.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"6.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"at base","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"3.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"at base","note":""},{"dimension":"Weight","value":"0.26","unit":"kg","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Measured for the Medieval and Renaissance Galleries 2006","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Bought through Alfred Spero in 1933 at Willis's Rooms, London, £200.\n\nHistorical significance: A striking iconographic and stylistic parallel is provided by the limestone relief of the Virgin and Child in York Minster. Especially the unusual position of the Child - more a boy than a child -  with his knees across the Virgin's right wrist, his large right hand and with two elongated fingers raised ion blessing, is virtually identical, as the way the Virgin holds him under his body. It is likely that there was a model, which must have been especially venerated in England around the middle of the 12th century.","historicalContext":"The present group and the figure of the Magus in the Dorset County Museum formed part of an Adoration of the Magi group, and Christ would thus have been blessing the approaching magi. It is likely that the magus was originally the second of the three kings. The ivories were probably attached to a separate background, possibly of a contrasting material such as gilt-copper, and the whole was possibly intended for a shrine or small reredos, but this must remain as speculation.","briefDescription":"Statuette, walrus ivory, representing the Virgin and Child, England (probably South-West), ca. 1150","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"Williamson, Paul (ed.), <u>The Medieval Treasury: the art of the Middle Ages in the Victoria and Albert Museum</u>, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 1986","id":"AUTH334016"},"details":"pp.122-123","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Longhurst, M.H. 'A Twelfth Century English Ivory'. <u>Burlington Magazine.</u> LXIV. 1934. pp.139-140."},{"reference":{"text":"Boase, T.S.R. English Art 1100-1216. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1953.","id":"AUTH409857"},"details":"p.113","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Estella- Marcos, M.M. <u>La Escultura del Marfil en Espãna, Romanica y Gotica.</u> Madrid. 1984. p.78, fig. 19."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Kalinowski, L. 'The English Romanesque Art Exhibition at the Hayward Gallery: an Iconographical gloss' in <u>Folia Historiae Artium.</u> XXIV. 1988. p.148. fig.4."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Williamson, Paul and Webster, L. 'The coloured decoration of Anglo-Saxon ivory Carvings' in Casher, S, Park, D and Williamson, Paul eds. <u>Early Medieval Wall painting and painted Sculpture in England.</u> Oxford. BAR British Series 216. 1990. p.181."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Gaborit-Chopin, Danielle. <u>Ivoires du Moyen Age</u>. Fribourg, 1978, pp. 108, 199, pl. 153"},{"reference":{"text":"Williamson, Paul. <u>An Introduction to Medieval Ivory Carvings</u>, London, 1982","id":"AUTH334015"},"details":"p.38, pl.22","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Williamson, Paul. <u>An Introduction to Medieval Ivory Carvings</u>, London, 1982","id":"AUTH334015"},"details":"pp.394-397","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Zarnecki, G. et al (eds.), <i>English Romanesque Art 1066-1200<i>, London, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1984","id":"AUTH353419"},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"The Virgin Mary","id":"N480"},{"text":"Christ Child","id":"N4624"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["A.25-1933"],"accessionNumberNum":"25","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1933,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN2819","2019LN5426","2019LT2855","2019LU8254"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-18","recordCreationDate":"2006-12-14","availableToBook":false}}